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I'm 12 days post Stage III surgery (Vanderbilt ) with a couple questions. I was warned about stiffness in the neck but this feels worse than I thought might hit me. So, has anyone else experienced a stiff and tight neck after neurotransmitter insertion, from the extension lead having scar tissue build around it? I move my neck around frequently. When I get up I can turn my neck a full 90 degrees to the right, but to the left I might be able to get 60. What did you do? What was your outcome (positive I hope)? Sent surgeon pics, he thought it would resolve itself basically but repeat pictures next week.

Thoughts? Comments?

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Great job of explaining it all, Scott. I would think this would be extremely helpful for those who are facing DBS and have lots of questions. I hope any issues (like your stiff neck) resolve/get resolved and that you get the very best result over all. Very interesting to journal us through your surgery!

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Scott, that sounds awful to be going through. I hope they can pinpoint the specific pathogen and knock it out quickly for you. in the meantime, rest lots and drink lots of fluids, as I'm sure they are encouraging you to do.

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Thanks. I don't want to take away from his thread, and I have been updating things on my DBS Screening thread. I am due for a follow-up on Tuesday. I have an appointment to get programmed in about a month. It is certainly a challenge to go through the surgery, but I keep hearing the benefits are well worth it..

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Scott - You daughter is a wonderful writer. She need to post a time line of when first symptoms noted. Where she traveled, what she did when there.

I have a cousin that is active in genome projects. Fascinating reading of some of the projects, but sometimes it is the most mundane things like the desert valley fever that is common in a small region of the USA, but anyone outside that region doesn't recognize the symptoms. coccidioidomycosis, the source of valley fever is a ground spore. It affects both humans and dogs, but much easier to see the genetic sequencing in dogs.

While most Doctors will recognize Lyme Disease, something like Leishmaniasis is rare in USA (some parts of Texas and New Mexico have seen it, but most Doctor's wouldn't have ever seen a case).

If she had a rash, "bulls eye" mark, or a festering skin ulcer it would all provide a clue. Results of her blood work. No detail too small.

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Did you have to have the hardware removed? Have you had second procedure?

Yes, they removed the hardware after I had 3 consecutive seizures... it was too emergent at that point. They sent me to ICU and put me in OR in a day, maybe two. Since I don't remember some things, time is a little fuzzy. They say I can't even try until about 6 months from now. Probably a good thing to give me time to really think about it.

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Scott and Murray, I hate that you guys both ended up with infections. It almost seemed that DBS was getting to be a routine surgery and then two people on this forum have major complications within a couple of months. Hope both of you recover quickly and the next DBS goes great.

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Scott and Murray, I hate that you guys both ended up with infections. It almost seemed that DBS was getting to be a routine surgery and then two people on this forum have major complications within a couple of months. Hope both of you recover quickly and the next DBS goes great.

Thanks. The one thing that went well was the programming. I got programmed the day before I went to the hospital and it worked great! So, at least I got a taste of how well it can work for me before I decide to risk it again